Pergolide, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,182 of Kornfeld and Bach, is a well-known drug particularly useful for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. The present invention provides a quick and economical process for the synthesis of pergolide in high purity and excellent yield, making use of safe and easily obtainable ingredients. The invention belongs to the fields of organic and pharmaceutical chemistry.
While the invention provides exceptionally good economy of starting and intermediate compounds, and provides a high yield of pure product, its most particular advantage lies in the avoidance of the isolation of intermediates, which are difficult to contain and present hazards in handling and processing. Thus, an important advantage in safety to the operators and the environment of the process is provided by the use of the present invention.